Acetylene-gas generator.



Patented July 3|, I900.

No. 654,73l.

G. HARTMAN. AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed July 31, 1899.)

(No Model.)

m: Nanms mzns 0a. PHOTMITHO. wnsumamk, a. c.

UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE.

GUS IIARTMAN, OF ROGKWALL, TEXAS.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

srEoIFIcATIon forming part bf Letters'fatent No. 654,731, dated iui 31,1906.

' Applicatlonriiletlil'uly 311 1899.

To all whom it 11mg comer W Be it known that I, GUS HARTMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockwall,

county of Rockwall, and State of Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a newand useful improvement in acetylene-gas generators, and has for one object to provide an exceedinglysimple apparatus of this description in'which the pipes and connections are closed, and thus p'rotectedfrom freezing by the effects of at mospheric changes; and a further object of my invention is to remove itheipossibility of an explosion taking place during the manipulation of the machine. 1

A further object of my invention is to so construct the apparatus as to greatly facilitate the recharging thereof in'order that the same may be accomplished in an eXceedinglyshort space of time; and a further object of my invention is to accomplish the results aimed at without the use of float-valves or other mechanism dependent upon the automatic working of the apparatus for the generation of the gas, while at the same time providing for the positive flow of water to the carbid, which is regulated by the amount of gas generated and used. i

With these and other ends in view this in: vention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designatedby the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectionof an apparatus made in accordance with my improvement, showing the various parts thereof; and Fig. 2 a detail view' of the gas-valve, showing the relief-holesfor permitting the escape of the air in closing the carbid-chamber.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, I provide a gasometer A, which consists of a cylindrical tank having the holder,

Serial No. 725,692. (No model!) B loosely fitted therein, so as to rise and fall with the increase or decrease lot the supply of gas, and this holder is sealed in the usual manner by the outer cylinder being nearly filled with water, as clearly shown.

C represents the top of the holder and has set in the center thereof the carbid-chamber D, the latter having formed around its upper portion an annular recess by means of the casing F. This casing is secured to the top 0 andto the carbid-chamber, so as to be gastight'; The carbid chamber is closed when not in use by the cap G, the flanges of which extend downward into the recess E, so as to seal this chamber, which sealing is accomplished by the meansof the rope or hemp packing H, placed in the bottom of the recess and upon which the edges of the flange of the cover rest, while upon this packing is placed a certain amount of sand I, and finally the remainder of the recess is filled with water, as indicated at J. l By this arrangement gas generated Within the carbid-chamber cannot escape therefrom through the sealin g, since the water at J and the sand-bed cannot be disturbed, as the packing H prevents their displacement, as will be readily understood. The top 0 has secured therein the pipe K, which leads from the oarbid-chamber and opens into. the upper portion of the holder, so as to deliver the gas thereto.

. AhousingL partially surroundsthe lower end of the pipe K where it entersthe carbidchamber and is so arranged as to admit gas to thispipe only from the upper portion of said chamber.

A valve K is located in the pipe outside of the apparatus and is operated by a lever K which when the Valve is open lies across the cover G and against the knob J, so that said cover cannot be removed until the. lever is elevated, which closes the valve, thus 'preventing a forward flow of gas from the holder to the carbid-chamber, and this, as is obvious, will avoid the possibility of an. explosionfrom the escape of gas from the apparatus when the cover is removed for recharging or other purposes. A suitable loop or link is pivoted to the cover and adapted to engage the outer end of the lever K thus holding it in its horizontal position, and also asto rise and fall with the holder, the object of which will be hereinafter set forth.

A valve N is located in the pipe M and is. operated by the valve-rod O, which passes upward through the tube P and terminates in the handle Q, so asto facilitate the operation of this valve from the outside of the apparatus.

and projecting upward to the desired height.

.Adelivery-pipe T leads to the apparatus and projects upward therein above the wa-..

terlevel, so as to permit the flow of gas from the generator to the point of consumption.

, One of the, principal features of my im-' provementisthe arrangement for. charging and recharging the carbid-chamber, and cons'ists of providing two or more series of cells U, (but one of such seriesbeing shown,) the bottom cell Uof each series having secured thereto the stripsV in any suitable manner,

the upper ends of which are inturnedfor con:

venience in handling. Each cell is open at the top, and maybe suitably perforated for the admission of. Water, for the purpose here.-

.inafter. set forth. The proper amount of carbidjis placed in each cell, and. these cells are placed between the strips, one upon the.

other, and may then be inserted in the carbid-chamber by simply removing the cover thereof and seating the whole .series upon the The chamber may. b'e ofjsuch a width as to receive two or more of these series, which proves to be agreat convenience in practice, since thereby no time i slost in recharging the apparatus, and. a

greater or lesscharge may be i-nserted,.asde-.

bottom of the chamber.

sired.- From the foregoing description the operation of my improvement will he obviously as follows: After, the carbid-chamber. has been charged and sealed, as set forth, there being no pressure within the holder, it will stand. at its lowest point, and this will carry theend of thepipe. M below the level. of the water,

thus ic'ausingthe Water to flow through said. pip'egto the carbid-chamber, and when reach-. iDgihe-lastce'llin each of the series will im-.f mediately generate gas by contact with the: carbid in these cells, which gas will flow' through the pipe Kt'o the upper portion of. the holder and elevate the same, which inl turn will carry the upperend of the pipe M. above the level of the water, cutting 01f a; When further flow of the carbid-chamber.

the gas generated by the carbid .in the bot-1 tomcells has'been drawn from the. holder,.it Q will again How to a point that will carry the upper end of the pipe M below the surface to escape.

of the water, causing the latter to again flow t6 the carbid-chamber, and this flow of water will continue until it has reached the nexthighest layer of cells and generated sufficient gas to again elevate the holder, thus repeating the operations just described until all of the cai'bid has been utilized. When the apparatus is to be recharged, the link J is disengaged from the outer end of the lever K and the'latter swung upward to a vertical position,.which closes the valve K, and thus shuts 0d a retrograde flow of gas from the holder to-the carbid-cha'mber, so that when g V the coverG is removed only the residue of The holder is guided in its vertical moverments by the plates R, which run upon the rodsS,sec,ured to the sides of the apparatus.

gas in the carbid-chamber will be permitted After thecover has been thus removed one or both series ofthe cells may be drawn from the chamber and others -substituted therefor; but prior to the recharging of. r the carbid-chamber the water whichmay have accumulated therein should be removed, and. this may be accomplished by. means of a .suitable bucket. By the peculiarshapeof the pipe M a. water seal is formedwhich permitsthe .escape of the gasthrough this pipewithou-t having to close the valveN when the cover is removed. Thus the water which runs throughthe pipe into the carbid-chambercannot escape, thereby keeping the seal that-is being used from overheating. :The-flow of water through the pipe M to the carbid chamber is prevented when the apparatus is being recharged by shutting 01f the valve N,i-t being againopened when the apparatusis to-be put in operation. An escape-hole d is form-ed in the valve K, and when the latter isclosedby 1 the turning. of the lever K to a vertical position this hole registers with that portionof the pipe K which leadsfrom thecarbid-chamber and the valvenopening registers with thehole c and permits the escape of air from "saidchamber when the cover G-is being placed thereon, or otherwise this cover could-not be displacedwithout compressing the air within the chamber. w a 1- Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim. as newand useful is--- a v .1. An acetylene-gasgeneratcr consistingof an outer casing orreservoinadapted to hold water, a holder fitted to loosely slide .within said casing and be sealed by thewaterithere= in, a carbid-chambercarried by the holder; a water-sealed pipe leading from saidchamher and adapted to .admitwater to thercham her when the holder reaches the lower limit of; its movement, a valve located withinthe pipe, at valve-stem extending throughltlle top of the holder whereby the valve maybe con trolled from .the outside, a pipe 'leadingfrom.

the carbid-chamber to the holder, a valve in said .pipe, a: lever for operating the valve and .retainingthe cover of the carbid holder'when the valve is. open, and means for. charging the .carbid-chamber, as specified.

p I Ages-generator consistingo'f .asui table casing or reservoir being nearly filled with water, a holder loosely fitted within the cas ing and held by the water, means for guiding the holder in its vertical movements, a carbid-chamber carried by the holder, a casing surrounding the upperportion of the carbidchamber so as to form a recess, a cover for closing the top of the carbid-chamber, the flanges of said cover adapted to project within the recess and rest upon a layer of hemp or the like, a sand and water seal resting.

upon the hemp, a pipe leading from the carbid-chamber through the top of the holder and returning to said holder, a valve located in the pipe, a lever connected with the valve 7 for operating the same and adapted to hold the cover closed, a link for engaging the outer end of the lever to prevent its displacement, a trapped pipe leading from the carbid-chamber to a point at or near the level of the water when the holder is in its lowered position, a Valve controlling the flow of water through this last-named pipe, and an outflow-pipeleading from the apparatus to the servicepipes, as specified.

3. In combination with the carbid-chamber of a gas-generator of the character described, a series of cells adapted to hold a suitable supply of carbid and be inserted within the chamber, that the material therein will be utilized in sections, strips secured to the botthe holder leading from the carbid-chamber so as to deliver the generated gas to the holder, a casing F surrounding the upper portion of the carbid-chamber so as to form a recess, a gas-bell, the flanges of which are adapted to fit within said recess, suitable sealing material surrounding the flanges, and means for holding the cover in place, as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto af fixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUS HARTMAN. Witnesses J. K. BROWNING, R. M. PAYNE. 

